Selja, Kashyap certain to get RS berths

Former union minister Kumari Selja and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) backward classes cell president Ram Kumar Kashyap are certain to get elected to the Rajya Sabha from Haryana.

On the last date of filing of nominations for two seats of Parliament's Upper House, the Haryana Vidhan Sabha Secretariat received only three nominations, including one of covering INLD candidate Baldev Singh. Hence, no polling would be required, officials said, and the results would be announced on January 31, the last date of withdrawal.

On Tuesday, Selja, a four-time MP from Haryana whose name was announced late on Monday night, visited the Vidhan Sabha to file her nomination papers, accompanied by Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, All-India Congress Committee general secretary and Haryana in-charge Shakeel Ahmed, and Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) president Phool Chand Mullana. A large number of Selja's supporters had also flocked to the assembly secretariat.

Kashyap, who hails from Kurukshetra and is a former Haryana Public Service Commission member and Kurukshetra INLD unit president, was accompanied by INLD leader Abhay Chautala and state president Ashok Arora. A large number of INLD workers had also gathered at the Vidhan Sabha premises.